We are at the very beginning of one of the greatest times of the year for new movies. Starting now through Christmas, most of the awards season heavy hitters will make their way to theaters, and we can just sit back, relax and enjoy the awesomeness.
But if your interests lean more toward science than art, this year is particularly filled with movies featuring scientific plots, from the highly-anticipated sci-fi spectacular Interstellar to the kid-friendly Big Hero 6 to the Stephen Hawking biopic The Theory of Everything. But with so much science comes great responsibility. When you get to the theater, how are you going to narrow your selection down to just one film to see at a time? Here's your handy-dandy guide to which science-rific movie is right for you this November.
For the starry-eyed: see Interstellar (In wide release Nov. 7)
The only excuse you could have for not hearing about Interstellar is if you have been in space for the past six months. The Christopher Nolan-directed space epic starring Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain looks like it will have graphics to impress aspiring astronauts and those with a fear of flying alike. For all you astrophysicists out there, much of the science of the film has been reported to be accurate. However, the reviews of Interstellar have been mixed, so maybe go into the movie not with the goal of seeing an exceptional film but more to experience space travel vicariously through the characters.
For the diehard techie: see Big Hero 6 (In theaters Nov. 7)
The first-ever collaboration between Disney and Marvel is an action-packed, genre-crossing adventure with inspiration from anime, comic books, superhero movies and technology. Big Hero 6 imagines a world where robots living among humans is just as normal as having pets. When you're done watching this animated movie, you'll wish you had your very own Baymax.
For those with big ideas: see The Theory of Everything (In theaters Nov. 7)
On the surface, The Theory of Everything tells the tale of one of the greatest astrophysicists ever, Stephen Hawking. But deep down, the film is so much more than that. It's about love, overcoming adversity and never underestimating the power of the human mind. Yeah, I know that sounds kind of sappy, but this movie really is for the dreamer in all of us.
For the fans that can't wait for the latest Hobbit installment: see Open Windows (In theaters Nov. 7)
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies hits theaters on Dec. 17, 2014, but those wanting a little Frodo in their lives before then can look no further than Open Windows, a cybercrime thriller starring Elijah Wood as a blogger who gets into trouble when he starts spying on his favorite actress via webcam. And everyone thought that would really work out for him, too. It will actually make you sad that Wood is in this pretty terrible-looking movie, but it will make you terrified to log onto your computer, so that's something.
For those who believe in alien life out there: see Extraterrestrial (In theaters Nov. 21)
If aliens are your thing, Extraterrestrial will be right up your alley. However, this movie shows what happens when you mess with extraterrestrial life, so promptly remove any heartwarming images of E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial from your mind. Extraterrestrial looks like your typical sci-fi/horror fare, so it will give you a good fright during a lackluster time for scary movies in theaters.
For the Cumberbitch: see The Imitation Game (In theaters Nov. 28)
For your other STEM genius biopic of the month, look no further than The Imitation Game, which stars Benedict Cumberbatch as English mathematician Alan Turing, who helped the Allies crack the German Enigma code during World War II. There's early Oscar buzz around Cumberbatch's performance, and it looks like the film will be a thrilling ride. You're not going to want to miss this one.
Image: Paramount Pictures
